Environment
Four Corners on forestry
Sally Neighbour …
Throughout the ’90s, the A-team helped turn the tide against the environmentalists in the forest debate. The crucial turning point came in 1995 when timber trucks blockaded Federal Parliament. While timber workers were outside on the steps chanting slogans, the A-team was on the inside, lobbying the Keating Government to back down on protecting native forests from woodchipping.
How hard did you lobby and how effective do you think you were?
DEREK AMOS, A TEAM FOUNDER: Well, I think quite effective really because along with the stand that Barry Cunningham took and the others, the backbenchers from Tasmania, for instance, and NSW, it finally convinced the Government to back off.
SALLY NEIGHBOUR: How big a win was that for the industry?
BARRY CUNNINGHAM, FORMER ALP MP FOR MCMILLAN: Oh, a huge win for the industry.
SALLY NEIGHBOUR: The end result, essentially, of that era of the forestry debate was the regional forestry agreements. What was your view of those and how big a win were they for the industry?
JILL REDWOOD, EAST GIPPSLAND FOREST ALLIANCE: They were a huge win for the industry. They got everything they wanted. It was really just to cement in woodchipping for the next 20 years.